Variegated Fritillary

Description:

The Variegated Fritillary is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Their flight is low and swift, but even when resting or nectaring, this species is extremely difficult to approach, and, because of this, its genus name was taken from the Greek word euptoietos meaning "easily scared". The upper side of the wings is checkered with orange and black. Both the fore wing and hind wing have a row of submarginal black spots and black median lines running across the wings. The underside of the fore wing is orange with a pale orange spot rimmed in black in the fore wing cell. The underside of the hind wing is mottled with browns and grays with a pale postmedian band. There is no silvering. The wingspan measures 1.75–2.25 inches. Passionflowers are their a host plant.

Habitat:

This butterfly is often found in open, disturbed habitats such as clover and alfalfa fields, pastures, fields, waste areas, roadsides, and mountain meadows.